“

Now reading

Be Ready

TWO POEMS

            BE READY
Be land ready
for you shall go back to land.
Be sea ready
for you have been nine-tenths water
and the salt taste shall cling to your mouth.
Be sky ready
for air, air, has been so needful to you-
you shall go back, back to the sky.

41,493

poems

4,155

poets

207

poetic terms

Browse the collection

Explore the archive →

Selected

Poems worth returning to

The glossary

The language about poetry

From aubade to zuihitsu, 207 definitions of the forms, figures, and schools that shape the line.

Explore the glossary→